Caught In The Life

By Tez

CAUGHT IN THE LIFE, is the hottest urban series since True to the Game! It is a gritty story of a young man's rise to power on the streets of Philadelphia. Jamal, also known as Mally, tries his hand at the drug game with only intentions on staying above ends meet. But eventually, this West Philly youngster gets drawn into the allure of it and all that is attached. 62nd & Market is a gold mine and he wants his share.

With rival crews on the rise vying for territory. Compromising is non-negotiable and fighting for the almighty dollar leads to the inevitable. With a cast of characters from: North, South, Uptown and Southwest Philly aiding him in his plight. Will he still be able to escape the deadly web of subterfuge and make it unscathed? Well, it's only one way to find out and the answer lies within the pages.

Tez is skillful in transitioning each character and captures the values and dialogue of the streets. His plots are fast paced and realistic. The twist and turns never end. Anyone who enjoys a hard-hitting urban saga will enjoy; CAUGHT IN THE LIFE!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tez
• Release date: Aug 13, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370570171

Tez

Tez is an author and screenwriter who has turned his 18 1/2 years of incarceration into a college and discovered his ability to write. He created a platform to be able to share his stories with the world. He is the author of the critically acclaimed novel: Caught In The Life! He's also penned other works such as Cleopatra, Body Milk, Acronym's of A P.I.M.P and Ladies In Blue. Screenplays consist of: The Night She Fell In Love(Love/Drama), Dishonorable Gentlemen(Detective/Crime), CooperMart(Comedy), The Jinn(Horror), 305(Crime/Drama) and episodic tv drama Probe! (Crime/Drama)Tez, constantly strives to break barries and writes about concepts outside the box. With no intentions on putting the pen down any time soon. He also continues to study the art of writing and filmmaking.

Book preview

PART 1

COMING OF AGE

CHAPTER 1

It was a scorching hot summer of 91’ in the city of Philadelphia in a section known as West Philly, where fiends or smokers dwelled as most called the crack addicts, despite the sight of innocence of boys playing in the water from fire hydrants to girls jumping rope. In the mist of it all, the customers would form ten people units, awaiting to be served crack by the youngsters who manned their post. These were once regular people with talent, who hit rock bottom from their addiction. Crack cocaine was a new epidemic that took America by storm, mainly attacking the intercity ghettos. Individuals on crack would literally sell anything that wasn’t nailed down. Nintendo’s would disappear out of homes. Leather jackets grew legs of their own, walking out of clothing stores as rental cars sometimes never found their way back to the rental agencies. This epidemic turned some of the baddest women out. Some which even went from wearing top of the line mink coats, to driving around in their cars, trying to give the corner hustlers sex for a couple chunks of crack. This untamable monster provided the street hustlers a new rapid way of getting rich and Jamal also known as Malley, watched it all unfold as a youngin’. This was the year he was introduced to the game, a game that wasn’t to be taken lightly. A game that didn’t love nobody, but catered to all. Malley and his cousins, Lil J’ and Kaeem always stuck together. When you saw one you saw them all. They actually moved like real brothers, so if they trusted anybody it was each other.

Their older cousin Rod, who stood five feet nine inches, slim built, light brown with a bald head, controlled 62nd & Market. Market Street was where most of his drugs were sold. Rod and Malley’s Aunt Rita who was Kaeem and Lil J’s mom lived right around the corner. Rod taught them small things about the game, but never wanted them in it. Each of them were slick, but not slick enough for the fast life, which was dealing with things on a whole different level. The game had it’s advantages and disadvantages and understanding the pros and cons were ninety-five percent of it. Besides getting money you had to watch out for the cops and those who worked for the cops. Then you had stick up boys who would try some people, then some who would try anybody. These were the ones you had to make an example out of immediately, to send a message that you weren’t going to be pegged as soft. If not, these guys would be at your doorsteps day and night looking forward to reap your earnings. This was how Rod and his team maneuvered, having six corners already sold up. On each corner he had thirty one illusions and dime bags of powder in the bars. He was moving two bricks a week, bringing in anywhere from $50,000 to $65,000. He 1iterally had Market Street in the palm of his hands. He used a little cut if any at all. This made his product top of the line. If it wasn’t Rod’s product, the fiends didn’t want it. He treated them good and didn’t disrespect them because they were getting high. Rod had a few hot cars: a 1990 Saab, a red Cherokee with a black rag top, which was equipped with colorful lights underneath the bottom that lit up at night. His prize possession was his cocaine white 190-E Mercedes Benz with hammers. Basically he was the man, he picked up being flamboyant from how J.B.M. used to roll through the city. The neighborhood loved him as he made sure the elderly had food and paid the young bucks to keep their pavements swept. He wanted to see to it that the neighbors had a little love for him, even though he was doing wrong. Rod kept his women in Dolphin earrings, Louis Vuitton and Gucci from head to toe. As M.C.M. was fading out he styled from time to time in Alpina’s, Porsha Design and Sergio tech sweat suits. He owned three hair salons: one on 52nd & Market, 52nd & Parkside and 60th & Lansdowne. These were three major strips where most players hung out around. Rod was a genius for opening the salons in those areas. The money he was getting was every hustler in the neighborhood dream.

Malley and his mom lived on 55th & Vine in a two-story project known as Summer Street. This part of West Philly was rough. Just like any other project, there were roaches, graffiti and the smell of urine filtering the air. The hustlers from Summer Street would also have fiends lined up on the Wall serving them. It was no escaping how hard crack hit the streets. Everywhere Malley looked somebody was getting money. His mother was doing all she could do as a single parent and being on welfare. His father had also got sucked into the wave of smoking crack and before long he would be nowhere to be found. As a written rule it’s nearly impossible to raise a man. Taking care of the bills and trying to raise him was difficult. The thought of knowing what his mom was doing to maintain for them, haunted his mind every night. He was the only child with no real source of income other then preparing to work for Phil-A-Job in the summer.

This was his last year of Shoemaker. This middle school was a small fashion show. His first two years was rough for him, having to keep switching his shirts and pants to try and throw the females off and even that got played out. He was tired of wearing the same Timberlands and Standsmith Adidas. Malley was getting away with his looks. The handsome young man stood five foot seven inches, light brown and 147 pounds, but the females at Shoemaker wouldn’t stay interested in guys if they couldn’t keep up with their appearance.

This pressure had him trying to keep up with the Joneses. With less than six months to graduate and his mother still struggling, he was afraid that he wasn’t going to be able to be in the graduation and yearbook. This alone had him stressing. His mentality was to figure out an angle and figure out one fast.

Kaeem and Lil J’s parents worked, so they practically wanted for nothing. Although they were his aunt and uncle, they had their own bills to pay. Every week Malley would stay over his Aunt Rita’s house where it was going down. It was nothing but, money up and down 62nd Street. Rod had maintained his corners and fame in the city. Malley started to want to become like his older cousin. He was getting tired of having next to nothing in his pocket. The spud games was just keeping him with lunch money. The sight of seeing the young bucks from Southwest and those who hustled for Rod, driving squatters to school made his appetite for the game grow. Catching the bus to school anymore was out of the question. The game begin to cave in on him.

chapter 2

It was that Sunday night around 9:00 p.m. when Malley decided to call Kaeem and Lil J’. He needed some money and Rod was the only way. The phone rang a few times before it was answered.

Hello? Kaeem answered.

What’s up? Malley stated.

Who this? Kaeem asked again, uncertain of the voice.

Man, this Mal, he reaffirmed.

Oh, what’s up cousin? He re-expressed his excitement.

The game Ka’, it’s time to turn it up, Malley stated in a serious tone.

The game? What you went crazy? Kaeem replied.

Ka’ I’m twisted, y’all cool.

You know what Rod said come with the game. That’s out of our league. It’s consequences in that, Kaeem stated.

Man, life is about takin’ risks. If we don’t reach for what we want, what we want won’t be put in our reach. Ya feel me? Malley said, trying to get his point across.

Malley, you trippin.

No, I’m starvin’. I’m tired of havin’ the hunger to get money. I ain’t talkin’ no more, I’m movin’.

Yeeeah, Kaeem stated.

Yeah, mom duke is back in her bills. She don’t got it for me to graduate. I gotta come through crushin’. My dinner dance comin’ up. I’m tryna buss Simone from Parkside and Turquoise from Wynnfield. You know they the baddest chicks in Shoe, he said making his intentions clear.

Simone and Turquoise was two beautiful females. Simone was about five feet four inches, red bone with a crazy body. Her hair was jet black and long. She had pink lips to match her complexion. The way her eyebrows grew, blended right in with her narrow face. Turquoise on the other hand had a caramel complexion with good hair to the root with turquoise eyes to complement her name. She was five feet five inches with a body to kill for. Her skin was just so clear. Malley just had to have her.

Damn, Malley you serious huh?

Yeah, dead serious.

How you gonna get up the money? Kaeem asked curiously, not knowing what kind of plan he had mapped out.

I’ma get with Rod.

Rod? Rod ain’t gonna give you no work. You know he told us to stay away from the game.

Man, I got this. I can’t ask my mom to get his number, so I need you to get it for me.

How I’ma get it?

Easy, you gonna see him before me. I know I don’t hear Lil J’ laughing?

Yup, he think you went crazy.

Tell him I said when I come off, don’t be tellin’ them chicks he know me.

Mal, I got the number, but don’t tell him I gave it to you.

Alright, alright, I got you, he said, eager to get the number.

You got a pen and piece of paper? Kaeem asked.

Yeah, go ‘head, he replied.

878-3180. You ain’t get it from me.

How many times you gonna say that? I got you.

Alright, later.

Alright. They both hung up the phone.

Kaeem was worried about how Rod was going to feel about him giving Malley his number regardless of them all being family. Rod had never got into depth about him and Malley doing business, so it was a shot in the dark. Malley needed to gather his thoughts to see how he was going to approach his older cousin for drugs to pay for his graduation, dinner dance and yearbook photos. Of course, he would need pocket money as well. He hesitated for a few hours until he mustered up enough nerve to call him. He finally picked up the phone and reached out. The phone rang as he anticipated his answer. The first two rings went unanswered which seemed like forever. The phone rang two more times before that familiar voice he longed to hear answered.

Hello? Rod asked as he answered.

Yo, Malley stated.

Who’s this? he questioned.

This Mal, he replied.

Who? he questioned again.

Malley.

Who?

Jamal, your lil cousin, man, he said, kind of frustrated.

Oh, damn what’s up lil cousin? Is everythin’ alright? Rod asked out of concern.

I gotta speak with you.

I’ll be through Aunt Rita’s later. And how you get this number? he asked, just when Malley thought he was out in the clear.

Ka’ gave it to me. He threw Kaeem right under the bus, hoping Rod wasn’t upset about contacting him out of the blue. Rod knew something was up, being as though he couldn’t wait to see him amongst the family.

That’s right, I got somethin’ to do later, so I’ma have to get with you tomorrow. I don’t talk on these horns like that, Rod stated. Malley needed to think on his toes.

Ay Rod, can you come scoop me from school tomorrow? he asked, hoping he would say yes.

Where you at?

Shoe, he replied.

What time you get out?

Like 2:45, three.

Alright, I’ll be there, he said as he was curious about what was so important that he needed to speak with him so urgently. Showing interest in coming to meet, Malley gave him a sign of hope.

chapter 3

Alright, Malley replied. He couldn’t wait until tomorrow. Rod really had no idea how much Malley admired him. Malley sort of came from a long line of hustlers. His Uncle Rosco who got murdered in the mid-80’s, had the Mantua section of West Philly, sold up. He was over the top with everything he did. More people feared him, than loved him. His problem was he never mastered how to balance the two. He allowed the fear to outweigh the love, which was most likely the key to his demise. Well, that’s how the streets told it anyway. Malley and his Uncle Rosco’s relationship wasn’t the greatest, because him and his mother practically hated each others guts. This tension put a major strain on their uncle to nephew bond. Honestly, this was a small part of why Malley wanted to be a hustler and reality was that nobody was helping him and his mother. She was only able to do so much and affording the clothes he really wanted to wear was out of the question. Surely, any mother wants the best for their child, but she was confined by their circumstances. From time to time, Malley would cast blame on his uncle for failing to put aside some money for him and his mom, being as though he knew his dad wasn’t in his life. He figured had he left them a cushion to sit on, they probably wouldn’t be going through these financial problems.

Up until this day nobody knew where the rest of the money was. The kidnappers only got $150,000. The streets has it that Rosco was an undercover millionaire. His murder was the most horrendous homicide the streets of Philly saw since 85’ when Moneybags and his right hand man Littles were found riddled with bullets in a North Philly abandoned basement. Whomever the kidnappers were who snatched Rosco were all business. They severed his fingers, cut his throat from ear to ear, then shot him in the head multiple times. This was surely a death penalty case, but a case that would never see the light of day in a courthouse. No one talked, so no one was ever charged or convicted. Malley was too young to understand why his uncle was murdered so gruesomely. The fact of the matter was that the drug game breeds these types of animals, who would take your head off with no problem about money. The way his uncle was taken out found its way back to his mind as he pondered entering the game. But, in his mind how could that type of calamity come his way when he’s just in it to earn a few dollars to pay for his graduation and stay afloat while he attends school. Although he tried, it was no way he could really compare his house income to Kaeem and Lil J’s, because at the end of the day they were a little more fortunate than him. After brainstorming for hours on end and anticipating meeting with Rod, he couldn’t fight back the urge to tell Kaeem what had transpired, so he called him despite the time of night.

Hello? Kaeem answered, after struggling with picking the phone up.

Yo, what it is Ka’? he asked.

What it is? Mal, it’s 3:00 a.m. in the morning, Kaeem replied, agitated that Malley woke him up out of his sleep.

Look, I wanted to let you know I got with Rod today.

I know you ain’t call me this time of night to tell me that. If my mom would of picked this phone up she would have been snappin.

I know, my bad. It’s on Ka’, it’s on, he said.

Alright, tell me all about it tomorrow, Kaeem